Patent Application
20070095089
This invention relates generally to refrigeration devices, and more particularly, to evaporator assemblies and methods for a refrigeration device.
Known refrigerators generally include a case defining at least one compartment for storage of food items, at least one door for closing the compartment, a light assembly including a light cover, and a condenser/cooling system configured to provide a refrigeration result in the compartment, i.e., remove a certain amount of heat energy from the compartment to the outside environment. The condenser system typically includes a compressor, a condenser, and an evaporator connected in series and charged with a refrigerant. An evaporator fan is used to improve heat transfer efficiency.
In operation, when the door of the refrigerator is opened by a user, the light turns on to illuminate the compartment. At the same time, outside air with moisture enters the evaporator fan. As a result, more and more air with moisture is condensed on the blades of the evaporator fan after a while, and then frosted due to the refrigerated environment. This may affect the performance of the evaporator fan, and even lead to damage of the evaporator fan.
In addition, light energy emitted from the light generates heat which may deform the light cover during the illumination. Thus, the service life of the light cover may be greatly reduced thereby increasing cost which is not desired either by consumers or by manufactures. Moreover, the lights and the evaporator fan of existing refrigerators are commonly located in different parts of the compartment. This structure takes more volume in the compartment of the refrigerator. Thus each take up space within the compartment.
In one aspect, a refrigerator evaporator assembly is provided. The refrigerator evaporator assembly includes an evaporator fan located in a refrigeration compartment of the refrigerator. The refrigerator evaporator assembly includes a fan cover at least partially enclosing the evaporator fan, the fan cover including a first side, a second side, a front, a back, and an air inlet. The refrigerator evaporator assembly also includes a light arranged in proximity to the air inlet such that air entering the air inlet is warmed by the light.
In another aspect, a refrigerator is provided. The refrigerator includes a refrigeration compartment, an evaporator fan located in the refrigeration compartment, and at least one light arranged in proximity to the fan. The refrigeration compartment is configured to provide warmed air to the evaporator fan.
In still another aspect, a refrigerator is provided. The refrigerator includes a refrigeration compartment including an evaporator fan and a light. An evaporator is arranged outside the refrigeration compartment, and the evaporator is in flow communication with the evaporator fan which provides flow communication between the light and the evaporator.
In still another aspect, a refrigerator is provided. The refrigerator includes a refrigeration compartment including an evaporator fan and a light. An evaporator is arranged outside the refrigeration compartment and in flow communication with the fan which provides flow communication between the light and the evaporator. The refrigerator also includes a controller which is configured to control the operation of the refrigerator, and the controller is coupled to at least one of the evaporator fan and the light.
In still another aspect, a method of assembling an evaporator fan assembly is provided in a refrigerator having at least one refrigeration compartment. The method includes providing an evaporator fan in the refrigeration compartment, providing a fan cover with at least one air inlet to enclose the evaporator fan, and positioning a light in proximity to the air inlet, wherein the light is configured to illuminate the refrigeration compartment and warm air entering the evaporator fan from the refrigeration compartment.
Refrigerator 10 includes a fresh food storage compartment 12 and a freezer storage compartment 14. Fresh food compartment 12 and freezer compartment 14 are arranged side-by-side within an outer case 16 and are defined by inner liners 18 and 20 therein. A space between case 16 and liners 18 and 20, and between liners 18 and 20, is filled with foamed-in-place insulation. Outer case 16 normally is formed by folding a sheet of a suitable material, such as pre-painted steel, into an inverted U-shape to form top and side walls of case 16. A bottom wall of case 16 normally is formed separately and attached to the case side walls and to a bottom frame that provides support for refrigerator 10. Inner liners 18 and 20 are molded from a suitable plastic material to form fresh food compartment 12 and freezer compartment 14, respectively. Alternatively, liners 18, 20 may be formed by bending and welding a sheet of a suitable metal, such as steel. The illustrative embodiment includes two separate liners 18, 20 as it is a relatively large capacity unit and separate liners add strength and are easier to maintain within manufacturing tolerances. In smaller refrigerators, a single liner is formed and a mullion spans between opposite sides of the liner to divide it into a freezer compartment and a fresh food compartment.
A breaker strip 22 extends between a case front flange and outer front edges of liners 18, 20. Breaker strip 22 is formed from a suitable resilient material, such as an extruded acrylo-butadiene-styrene based material (commonly referred to as ABS).
The insulation in the space between liners 18, 20 is covered by another strip of suitable resilient material, which also commonly is referred to as a mullion 24. In one embodiment, mullion 24 is formed of an extruded ABS material. Breaker strip 22 and mullion 24 form a front face, and extend completely around inner peripheral edges of case 16 and vertically between liners 18, 20. Mullion 24, insulation between compartments, and a spaced wall of liners separating compartments, sometimes are collectively referred to herein as a center mullion wall 26.
In addition, refrigerator 10 includes shelves 28 and slide-out storage drawers 30, sometimes referred to as storage pans, which normally are provided in fresh food compartment 12 to support items being stored therein.
Refrigerator 10 is controlled by a microprocessor (not shown) according to user preference via manipulation of a control interface 32 mounted in an upper region of fresh food storage compartment 12 and coupled to the microprocessor. A shelf 34 and wire baskets 36 are also provided in freezer compartment 14. In addition, an ice maker 38 may be provided in freezer compartment 14.
A freezer door 42 and a fresh food door 44 close access openings to fresh food and freezer compartments 12, 14, respectively. Each door 42, 44 is mounted to rotate about its outer vertical edge between an open position, as shown in
Refrigerator 10 comprises a refrigerator evaporator assembly 60. In one exemplary embodiment, refrigerator evaporator assembly 60 is positioned under control interface 32 in fresh food compartment 12. In the other exemplary embodiment, refrigerator evaporator assembly 60 can also be positioned in freezer compartment 14. In another exemplary embodiment, two refrigerator evaporator assemblies 60 can be arranged in fresh food compartment 12 and freezer compartment 14, respectively.
Refrigerator evaporator assembly 60 also includes two light bulbs 94 and reflectors 96 configured to reflect light emitted from the light bulbs. Light bulbs 94 are positioned in front of reflectors 96 and are configured to illuminate fresh food compartment 12 when fresh food door 44 is open. In the exemplary embodiment, reflectors 96 are received in light covers 64, 66, surrounding light bulbs 94. Light bulbs 94 are arranged in proximity to both sides 82, 84 respectively such that air entering evaporator fan 72 through air inlet 90 is warmed by light bulbs 94.
In the exemplary embodiment, the cooling system is operatively coupled to the microprocessor (not shown) of control interface 32 (shown in
In operation, refrigerator 10 refrigerates food items stored in fresh food compartment 12 (shown in
As light bulb 94 is arranged in proximity to air inlet 90 of evaporator fan 72, the incoming air flowing around light bulb 94 is warmed before entering evaporator fan 72 from fresh food compartment 12. As a result, the relative humidity of air is greatly reduced and light bulb 94 is cooled. Therefore, evaporator fan 72 is less likely to build condensation and frost. Meanwhile, the heat generated by light bulb 94 is simultaneously reduced due to cool air contacting light cover 64 and light bulb 94 and the service life of light cover 64 is prolonged.
While the invention has been described in terms of various specific embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention can be practiced with modification within the spirit and scope of the claims.
